Bills Beat Blog

Top 10 team "seriously considering" Zack Martin

The 2014 NFL Draft is only a few days away and the lack of definition even at the top of the order is laying the groundwork for what could be one of the more compelling first rounds in recent memory.

Adding to that intrigue is the incredibly connected Peter King of Sports Illustrated, who published a whopper of a Monday Morning Quarterback just three days ahead of the start of the first round. It has insight into Houston with the top pick, St. Louis, Jacksonville and other various selections in the first round.

The most interesting note that could pertain to the Buffalo Bills revolves around Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin. Last week, WGR wrote that the Bills' ninth overall pick could be a toss-up between Martin and North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron. According to a league source Buffalo really likes and are very impressed by Martin, a two-year captain at Notre Dame and a four-year starter at left tackle.

"Mayock surprised me the other day by saying he thought Martin will come off the board “between nine and 13 … He’s too good. He’s too safe. He’s about as safe a player as there is in this draft.” Mayock told me Sunday he saw a Notre Dame practice last summer in which Martin had to be shifted from his usual spot, center, to guard because of an injury, and when he watched the tape of the practice, “It looked like he’d been playing guard for years.’’ I know one team in the top 10 seriously considering him." - Peter King

Read between the lines. NFL Network's Mike Mayock, who also doubles as the color commentator for Notre Dame broadcasts, says Martin will be gone between nine and 13. King says one team in the top 10 is "seriously considering him." And, while the Detroit Lions could use a tackle, the overwhelming thought has been that they'll go for a receiving option or a cornerback.

Judging from the comments sent via Twitter or on the actual latest WGR mock draft itself, Martin going to the Bills is not a popular notion amongst fans of the team.

However, the simple truth is this: whether you like it or not, the Bills like Martin. And, with him being described as one of the safest, cleanest prospects in the draft (two adjectives to describe Texas A&M's Jake Matthews, who the Bills also like very much) it's not hard to draw the conclusion.

This all goes to the wayside if a player the Bills like more than Martin (Matthews, Clemson' Sammy Watkins, Auburn's Greg Robinson, South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney) ends up falling down the draft order, perhaps calling for an attempted trade up. However, if it falls the way it's expected to with none of those players available, and the choice is between Eric Ebron and Zack Martin, don't be at all surprised if it's the Notre Dame offensive tackle that will be the newest Buffalo Bill.